Researchers at the University of Missouri and the University of Tulsa have described a process using 3D printing to simplify the manufacturing of stable lighting technology. The work comes on the heels of the Biden administration’s recent decision to enforce a long-delayed rule banning the sale of most traditional incandescent light bulbs.
The team leveraged 3D printing to create resin-perovskite color conversion layers. Using an affordable 3D printer, they mixed perovskite nanocrystals capable of emitting green, yellow and red light with a transparent ultraviolet resin. The combination resulted in a thin color conversion layer that transformed UV light into various colors and demonstrated a high level of stability. The researchers then stacked these layers onto a UV light-emitting diode chip, producing a natural white light.
The technology utilizes perovskites, that can shine brightly and be adjusted to emit different colors of light. While they’re known for efficiency, perovskites are also instable, which has posed a challenge when it comes to incorporating them in everyday products. “This material is very efficient but not stable, so we’re trying to find ways to stabilize it so it can be used in many applications, in our case solid-state lighting,” said Peifen Zhu, an assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Missouri. “Basically, this work bridges the gap between perovskites and their potential applications.”
“Because 3D printing is inexpensive, it significantly lowers production cost,” Zhu said. “This method could lead to a cheaper way to mass produce higher quality, energy efficient lighting.”
